Blotter



UNITED STATES PATENT Finca.

JAMES H. BARLEY, OF SEDALIA, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE FERRELL, OF WICHITA, KANSAS.

BLOTTER.

SPECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,674, dated February 9, 1886.

Application filed January 30, 1885. Serial No. 154,452. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JAMEs H. BARLEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper Shields and Blotters, of which the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to improvements in paper shields and blotters, whereby they are rendered more convenient in attaching and detaching them from the hand of the writer; and it consists, first, in a paper shield adapted as to contour and size to that of the hand, in combination with a thimble or ring, which is attached to the front part of the shield,in which thefin gers ofthe writing-hand are only inserted in attaching it thereto; second, in combination with the shield and a thimble or ring, blotting-pads which are detachably connected to the under side o'f said shield; third, the combination of the shield and blotter united into one and the same piece of blotting material, and having a thimble or ring connected thereto for attaching said combined shield and blotter to a finger of the writing-hand; fourth, in combination with the shield, erasive rubber, of which the said shield may be composed, or a separate piece of erasive rubber may be attached thereto and made capable of performing the functions of an eraser; fifth, in combination with the shield and a thimble or ring, blotting-pads adapted as to contour and size to that of the shield, to which they are detachably connected by metallic clinchfasteners; sixth, in the arrangement and novel combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

The 'object of my invention is to produce as an improved article of stationery a paper shield and blotter which in its construction is light, cheap, and more convenient, especially in attaching and detaching it from the Writing-hand, and which furnishes a ready and convenient paper shield, and also a blotter for the use of book-keepers, correspondents, and others, which object I attain in its construction, which I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,1naking part of this specification, in

which like letters of reference refer to like parts, and in which-m Figure l is a perspective View showing the writinghand with the shield attached thereto and resting on the top of said shield, holding a pen in position for writing. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are longitudinal edge views of the shield, showing the thimble or ring in detail. Fig. 7 is a transverse edge View of the shield, show'l ing the longitudinal flaps and blotter-pad attached to the bottom side of the shield. Fig. 8 shows the bottom side of the shield, the body of which may be composed of erasive rubber, or to which a separate piece of erasive rubber may be attached. Fig. 9 is a plan 'top view of one of the blotting-pads ready forvbeing attached to the shield. Figs. 10 and 1l are perspective views of the paper shield, showing modifications and how the finger thimble or ring for the purpose of attaching said shield to the Writing-hand may be varied inthe manner of its construction.

A is the shield, which I stamp out or otherwise construct of paper, rubber, or other suitable and well-known material, and adapted as to contour and size to that of the hand in Writing.

D is a sheet of blotting-paper, corresponding in size to that of the shield A, and is attached thereto by means of the ordinary metal fasteners F.

G are perforations made in both the shield and blotter, through which the prongs of the fasteners F are inserted and clinched down, securing the blotter D to the under side of the shield A; or, in lieu of the aforesaid fasteners, a metal rim may be employed, which may extend entirely around the shield A; or said rim may be made in sections of any desired length and applied at intervals to the edges around said shield, (see Fig. 7 by which the blotting-pad D may be securely clasped or held thereto and made capable of being removed when blotted over and replaced with clean ones, when the shield and blotter are not united into one and the same piece of blotting material of which the shield A may be composed.

To the upper face of the paper shield A a finger thimble or ring,O, is preferably attached to the front end thereof, as shown, through IOO which the little finger or adjoining one, or both, are inserted in attaching it to the vhand in writing.

The .shield protects the surface of the paper written on from contact with the hand, or soiling of the paper by perspiration or its natural oily moisture which retards the iiow of ink as it proceeds from the pen, while the use of the 'shield greatly facilitates the free movement of the hand necessary in writing.

The thimble or ring C may be made of metal, circular in form, either with a disconnected or solid rim, and in size to fit the linger, and attached by the use of .suitable clinch-fasteners to the top of the shield A. In the present instance I prefer to make said ring C of yelastic or flexible material lthat will readily yield and adapt itself to the various-sized fingers on which the shields may be attached, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where the ring C is constructed of small spring-wire, which is first made into a small spiral-shaped coil or thimble, and then bent into a ring of a circular form. The two ends of said ring are then connected to the shield A near its front end,either by passing the ends of the wire through said shield, and fastening them underneath, or the two ends of the wire'of said ring may be first joined together, and then passed beneath the plate H, which is provided with a number of sharp points that penetrate through the shield and are clinched beneath, holding the spiral or elastic thimble or ring firmly to thetop part thereof. v l

Figs. 6 and 7 show ring C, made of rubber or other elastic material, with the two ends thereof either brought together, or a space may be left between them where they are attached to said shield A by suitable clinch-fasteners, forming a ring in size to fit the little finger or adjoining one, or both may be inserted; or said ring C may be formed integral with the shield A by turning up the edge thereof to or near a right angle, then perforate this vertical or turned-up portion, forming a hole or ring in which the linger is inserted, as shown in drawings, Fig. Il; or, in lieu of said ring C, a thimble may be formed by rolling the .front part of the shield A over and connecting it to the top part thereof, thus forming a tapering thimble, in the end of which the finger is inserted in attaching it to the hand, as shown in drawings, Fig. l0.

It is obvious that in either form of the rings described or contemplated to be used the shield AA will be wholly unconnected to the hand v which I deem unnecessary to further illustrate or describe in detail.

The shield A is preferably provided with the longitudinal fiaps B, which project upward at a slight angle,for the purpose of neatness in appearance, and also to cause the shield to move smoothly over uneven surfaces,while its rear part will be more easily retained in its proper relative position to the hand on which it is attached. VYet I do not confine myself to using said longitudinal liap's, as they may be dispensed with and the shield made fiat on its bottom side, as shown at Fig. 2, having blotting-pad attached; and, if desired, bevel-sided stops B or other shaped means may be applied to the top of theshield,which will serve as an equivalent for the flaps B, against which the sides of the hand may rest to retain the shield in position thereon, as shown at Fig. 4.

rIhe shield A may be used either in connection with the blotter or alone for the purpose of protecting the paper being written on; or said shield may be made to .perform all the functions of a blotter, as aforementioned, by uniting both the shield and blotter into one and the same piece of blotting material of which said shield may be composed, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. Said shield may bemade of rubber,capable of performing all the functions of au eraser, for use in railroad accountant offices, and others where a large amount of pencil labor is performed; or a piece of erasive rubber, E, may be attached to the under side of either one or both of the longitudinal aps B, or at any other more convenient point for use, as shown at Fig. 8 in drawings.

It will be observed that my improvement provides for uniting in one and the same device not only all the advantages of a paper shield for the protection of the writing-paper against the moisture of the hand in writing, but also may have combined therewith a very useful and convenient blotter, and to which may be added or united therewith an eraser, as before mentioned.

IOO

In using the blotting-pad the fingers, with i constantly upon the hand, and would also be inconvenient in frequently attaching and detaching therefrom. Said devices I disclaim. It is therefore obvious that the construction of my improved shield and blotter with the use ofthe thimble or ring O, which I employ, renders said shield more convenient in-attaching it to the hand, and also in removing it therefrom, whereby said shield and blotter are rendered more simple, neat, and convenient.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

IIO

1. The paper shield A, in combination with the thimble or ring C, formed integral therewith or connected to the upper surface of shield A at or near the front part thereof, as shown, for attaching said shield to the fingers of the writing-hand, as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the shield A, having the blotter-pads D, in combination with the thimble or ring C for the finger, connected to the upper surface of the shield at or near the front part thereof, as shown, for attaching said Shield with the writing-hand, sub-v stantially as described.

3. In a paper shield and blotter, the combination of the shield A, having the blotter-pad D detachably connected to its bottom surface, and the thimble or ring C, attached to the upper surface of said lshield at or near the front JAMES H. BARLEY.

NVitnesses:

J. M. BYLER, GEORGE FERRELL. 

